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(Blogger’s Note: The following is an excerpt from a story I reported on that will appear in an upcoming edition of The Final Call Newspaper. Click & Subscribe Online!!)

The state of Mississippiâ€™s plans to spend a half-billion federal dollars to expand a storm-torn port, was recently delivered a potential blow by angry low-income residents demanding the rebuilding of their homes lost in Hurricane Katrina instead.

â€œIt is unfortunate that money earmarked for the recovery victims of Hurricane Katrina is now being taken away for the purpose of business developmentâ€ said Derrick Johnson, State President of Mississippi NAACP.

Along with the Gulf Coast Fait Housing Center, the lawsuit was filed in federal court in Washington, D.C. against the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The plaintiffâ€™s are challenging that the agencyâ€™s approval of a plan submitted by the state to re-route $600 million of federal hurricane recovery funds designated for affordable housing to bankroll the expansion of the Port of Gulfport is not lawful.

â€œThis is in essence creating another disaster, only itâ€™s man-made. Itâ€™s unconscionable that HUD would approve a plan that neglects tax-paying citizenâ€, said James Crowell, a member of the NAACP National Board of Director and a Katrina survivor.

Katrina slammed Mississippiâ€™s coast three years ago, wiping some towns off of the map. To date nearly 6,000 families remain in temporary shelters, with over fifty percent of those residing in FEMA trailers. The shaky economy has caused housing rates and insurance costs to escalate in the state as well. That has forced many, like Sabrina Wallace, to move to other cities such as Houston.

â€œItâ€™s sad how when youâ€™re down, some one comes and kicks you in the head. Three years later they still have not done right by the peopleâ€, said Ms. Wallace to The Final Call. â€œThey rather bail out corporate crooks than give the poor people a lifeline. They are choosing a port over the poor? Thatâ€™s the American way I guess.â€

Where is the bailout for poor victims of Katrina? Mississippi residents sue over Katrina housing funds was last modified: June 29th, 2015 by BJ Blog Staff

I was searching on the SEIU.org website today, after reading about the historic groundbreaking of the workers health clinic in Houston. I came across an interesting campaign being lead by SEIU, which happens to be the fastest growing union in the Americas with 2 million members in Canada, the United States and Puerto Rico.

The campaign is aimed at fast food giant McDonald’s,which is reportedly opposing the Employee Free Choice Act. In other words they are against their employees having a voice.

McDonald’s has reportedly even formed an “internal response team…to actively participate in the opposition to the Employee Free Choice Act.” They have also ran ads opposing the act along with with other major business entities.

Why is this Act important? SEIU says, the Employee Free Choice Act gives workers the free choice to join unions so they can negotiate for better wages, benefits, and retirement security. According to the group, people who join unions earn 30% higher wages and are 59% more likely to have health insurance.

McDonald’s has more than 600,000 employees in the US, many of whom earn less than $8.11/hour. That’s not surprising of course. I have former students who work there. Neither is it surprising that the CEO of “Mickey D’s” took home a mere $13 million in 2007. That’s $6,250 per hour. It’s clear that they want to keep it that way and make sure their employees stay focused on flipping burgers rather than standing up for themselves.

According to SEIU organizers, Congress is considering the Employee Free Choice Actâ€”bipartisan federal legislation. But McDonaldâ€™s and other corporations are spending big money to oppose it.

The SEIU is calling on people across the country to take a stand by asking if they can take an hour on Thursday, December 19 to go to their local McDonald’s to educate McDonald’s employees about free choice.(For more information visit: www.seiu.org)

Originally published 12/15/08(In the wake of so many disasters in the last three years, the world has all but forgotten the plight of Hurricane Katrina survivors. This is why the Final Call Newspaper is important, because we strive to keep these stories at the forefront until closure is met. Here is an excerpt of one of my latest reports that will appear in an upcoming edition of the Final Call.)

A Louisiana Civil District Court issued a judgment that drew 8,500 former employees of the Orleans Parish School Board one step closer to being compensated for being unjustly terminated at the hands of their pre-storm employers over three years ago.

Several weeks after Hurricane Katrina, a lawsuit was filed in the Civil District Court for the Parish of Orleans, against the Orleans Parish School Board and various state defendants. The purpose of the lawsuit is to challenge the firing of tenured employees whose employment rights were ignored and violated.

â€œI took on this lawsuit because I felt these citizens were fired from their jobs without just causeâ€, said lead attorney William Zanders, Sr. to The Final Call. â€œWhat was done to these workers is sad and disturbing. They followed a mandatory evacuation order in 2005, lost property and then had their jobs stripped from them.â€

The lawsuit was filed on behalf of principals, teachers, paraprofessionals, central office administrators, secretaries, social workers, and other employees who serviced nearly 62,000 public school students. They all fled New Orleans to escape the most costly natural disaster to hit the shores of the United States which left 80 percent of the city under water.

On December 10, in an 18-page ruling, Judge Ethel Simms–Julien certified that the lawsuit can proceed as a class action suit. The ruling will potentially allow the former employees to seek monetary damages for claims of wrongful termination and breach of contract.

â€œToday’s class certification ruling is a part of the legal process to recover damages for all eligible former employeesâ€, said Attorney Zanders. â€œVictory may not be real close because there is a lot of litigation ahead. But we will be victorious.â€

Hurricane Katrina Update: Thousands of former New Orleans Public School employees continue to fight back was last modified: June 29th, 2015 by BJ Blog Staff

A grand jury in Paris, Texas returned first-degree murder indictments against two white men accused in the September dragging death of a Black man. The prosecutor is still looking at whether to pursue hate crime charges in the case that has stirred racial tension.

Facing up to life in prison if convicted, defendants Shannon Finley and Charles Ryan Crostley, are being accused of killing 24-year-old Brandon McClelland by hitting and dragging him over 70 feet beneath a pickup truck after the three went on a late-night beer run across state lines.

Mr. Finley was also indicted December 11 on evidence tampering charges alleging he attempted to wash Mr. McClelland’s blood from the undercarriage of the truck. Mr. Crostley was further indicted on charges of retaliation for threatening a potential witness before he was apprehended. Both defendants remain behind bars without bail.

The McClelland family and civil rights groups have been pressing authorities to look into the murder as a possible hate crime based upon Mr. Finleyâ€™s rumored affiliation with a White supremacist group that he allegedly joined while in prison several years ago.

â€œEven with the charge of first degree murder, there may still be a possibility that these murderers of my son will be back on the streets. I want them to have life without the possibility of parole. To never get outâ€, said Jacqueline McClelland to The Final Call.

â€œThere are people who know that Shannon (Finley) is apart of a white supremacist group and I hope they are interviewed. This needs to be charged as a hate crime also because friends donâ€™t lynch friendsâ€, she said.

Special Prosecutor Toby Shook did not present hate crime charges to the grand jury but noted that “we’re still looking at things. You can always go back to the grand jury and reindict.”

(Blogger’s Note: The follow is an excerpt from a story I wrote that will appear in an upcoming edition of The Final Call Newspaper. Visit www.finalcall.com)

For decades, data about the condition of Black men and boys in America has shown that they have faired far worse than their White counterpart in areas such as economics, education, and health.

With the recent election of the countryâ€™s first Black President-Elect, many have sided with the thought that such research is no longer needed and the conversation should cease to take place entering into the year 2009 and beyond.

The Foundation for the Mid South disagrees and wants to take action.

â€œThe election of a Black President is a good step in the right direction but it will not change the fact that Black males are suffering in the South and can no longer be overlookedâ€, said Christopher Crothers to The Final Call.

The foundation released a report showing that Black males in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi, or the Mid South, are more likely to lack quality health insurance, lose their lives in a homicide or drop out of school.

â€œMany people, especially Whites and the middle-class, have told us they are tired of seeing these numbers and hearing about racism. They want us to stop bringing this plight to the forefront as if everything is fine nowâ€, said Mr. Crothers, who serves as communications director.

The report, titled Black Male: Why the Mid South Cannot Afford to Ignore The Disparities Facing Its Black Men and Boys, was released early December with a focus on men and boys ages 16 to 44. The idea was born out of forums attended by the foundation that brought together others to discuss the state of Black men and boys both nationally and in the South. Also to call on leaders and philanthropic organizations to get involved with their resources.

Study: Mid-South Black Males and Boys in a State of Emergency was last modified: June 23rd, 2015 by BJ Blog Staff

(Blogger’s Note: The following is an excerpt of an article I wrote that will appear in The Final Call Newspaper next week)

â€œBeing out here in the streets like I am, itâ€™s not surprising for me to hear these statistics about gun trafficking in the South. Itâ€™s nothing really new to usâ€, said Dwayne Brady, to The Final Call.

Mr. Brady is a former gang member from North Texas. According to him, the recent report released by the Mayors Against Illegal Guns coalition is a good read but isnâ€™t going to reform anything.

â€œAs long as people know where to steal or purchase illegal guns, these statistics will only increase. I applaud their research but it is not going to stop the violence. The money used to do this report could have been used to develop programs in communitiesâ€, said Mr. Brady, who is now a mentor to many young people he taught how to steal and weaponry in his past lifestyle.

â€œWell I have a problem with term â€˜illegal gunsâ€™ because in truth there is no such thingâ€, said James Dark, Executive Director of the Texas State Rifle Association.

â€œThere are only legal and illegal owners. I think it is tough to try to correlate guns laws to these crimes that are being committed. Because the ATF once report that over 50 percent of criminals interviewed confessed to stealing the guns. What does that have to do with the gun laws?â€ said Mr. Dark to The Final Call.

According to the report, ten U.S. states are responsible for majority of the illegal guns that are shipped across state lines for use in criminal activity. Nearly 30 percent of guns traced by federal agents in 2006 and 2007 during crime investigations were bought in a state other than where the crime was committed said the report.

I have returned home from New Orleans. As you can see, I got behind on my blogging over the weekend.(smile)

Why? Because covering the State of the Black World Conference for the Final Call Newspaper was a lot of work every day, with me returning to my hotel room near midnight every night. I enjoy it! But stay tuned and stay plugged in, as I will be recapping some of my great experiences during the conference. I met a lot of giants in the Black struggle.

For now I just want to jump to the final day, which was one of the most memorable moments of my journalistic career. I had the opportunity to photograph the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan for the Final Call the entire weekend. Also along with 16-year-old Rashid Muhammad of Houston, who was assisting me with photography during the conference. He did a great job.

The State of the Black World Conference came to a close on Sunday, November 23 with the keynote address by Minister Farrakhan. As usual, he delivered a message that radiated the light of a man that is divinely guided. The introduction of the Minister was done by Mtangulizi Sanyika in a way that brought tears to many in the audience and touched the Minister in a special way.

Here is a great photo I got of the Minister just before he delivered the keynote address. In the background is his son Nation of Islam Student Supreme Captain Mustapha Farrakhan.

More reporting and photos to come.

A Photographic Moment~State of the Black World Reporting Part II was last modified: June 23rd, 2015 by BJ Blog Staff

After facing some hectic spurts of traffic and horrible construction on the I-10 freeway, my entourage finally arrived here in New Orleans Thursday night! I then check into my hotel, took a quick break and headed over to the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center to attend the International Town Hall Meeting with Final Call Assistant Editor Ashahed Muhammad.

The town hall meeting featured Black luminaries such as lead conference organizer Dr. Ron Daniels, former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, Dr. Iva Carruthers, Dr. Ron Walters and many more. The discussion was mostly centered around how the Black community should respond in regards to certain issues under the soon to be Obama Administration such as reparations, unemployment, education, etc.

But overall the audience were engaged. In the audience listening closely was Rev. Jeremiah Wright from Chicago, who caught a lot of heat during the Obama run.

At the end of the event, two students representing Xavier and Dillard respectively, were given the opportunity to pose questions.

Mitchell Williams, a 19 year-old International Relations major at Xavier said to me, “I pose the question about the state of Africa and it’s resources because I am from West Africa and I wanted to know how they think Obama will handle our native land.”

The state of HBCUs was on the mind of Dillard Sociology major Anastacia Scott who said to me “HBCUs are a major concern to me because I think they are very valuable. It was a productive town hall meeting. I think tonight’s town hall meeting set the tone for what we will expect the rest of the conference.”

Usually when you tell someone that you are about to take a trip to Paris, they smile and bid you a good time in the international city that is synonymous with love. But when you clarify that your destination is Paris, Texas you may evoke a different response.

While Paris, France may conjure up images of romance and love, the September 16th dragging death of Brandon McClelland in Paris, Texas is now fostering images of racial hatred. This small town has a busy history of lynching, racial bias and hate crimes. That history seems to have been updated by McClellandâ€™s two white murderers who now have the unmitigated gall to call themselves his friends. It was an apparent â€œcopycat crimeâ€ mirroring the 1998 dragging death of James Byrd in Jasper, Texas. And to add insult to injury, the Lamar county district attorney is refusing to call Brandonâ€™s murder a hate crime.

After hearing about this barbaric, inhumane tragedy I traveled to Paris along with the New Black Panther Party and Final Call Newspaper reporter Jesse Muhammad. After meeting and praying with the McClelland family we were escorted to the country road where the murder occurred. Local authorities reported that Brandonâ€™s body was dragged 60 yards by the truck. However, we found over 140 yards of human blood that militarily followed tire tracks. The truck that dragged McClelland appeared to have driven in circles (termed â€œdoughnutsâ€) with blood following tracks on and off-road. We found human remains (skull fractures) still at the scene which was supposed to have been secured by investigators after the incident. The McClelland family told us that they felt they were strong armed into burying Brandon faster than they wished. I could fill up an entire roll of toilet paper with all of the contradictory evidence of an attempted â€œcover-upâ€ in this case. Brandonâ€™s body was not the only thing that they wanted to bury. They wanted to ensure that this story never made it across the Lamar County line.

What makes this case so bizarre is that McClelland and his killers (Shannon Finley and Ryan Crostley) were acquaintances. I am reluctant to use the term â€œfriendsâ€. Last time I checked â€œfriends donâ€™t lynch friends.â€ Finley was convicted of manslaughter and it was Brandon who perjured himself under oath attempting to give his would-be killer an alibi. Finley shot a white male in the head 3 times, but lied claiming he was actually shooting at 3 Black males (go figure) who were trying to rob him and the deceased was hit in the crossfire. The mysterious three Black males were never found.

Finleyâ€™s attorney convinced the court that the killing was accidental and he was sentenced to only 5 years in prison for murder. According to the McClelland family, Brandon spent more time in prison for perjury than Finley spent for murder. Who was the attorney that defended Finley? It was Gary Young; the sitting Lamar County District Attorney. It is the same man who insists that Brandonâ€™s dragging is not a hate crime, but an accident. Welcome to the Paris, Texas legal system.

Young says that because the three were â€œfriendsâ€ this was not a hate crime. It is preposterous to insult the idea of â€œfriendshipâ€ by even considering the use of such a word in this case. Acquaintance and friendship are two different things. If Brandon McClelland could speak for himself after being dragged to his death, do you think that he would still consider these guys his friends? Acquaintance does not exonerate racial hatred and bias from a crime. Were not the Native Americans befriended before they were slaughtered? Werenâ€™t Black Africans befriended, before being captured and brought to America in chains 453 years ago? So, I was forced to ask myself a very real question. â€œDoes the District Attorneyâ€™s refusal to call this a hate crime represent the normalcy of racial hatred in Paris, Texas?â€ Maybe bigotry and white supremacy is so socially institutionalized that it has become nearly unrecognizable.

As a native Texan, if I were to visit Alaska in 40 degree weather I would be freezing. Native Alaskans may walk past me in short pants and short-sleeved shirts. Forty degrees is no big deal to people who have historically experience â€œ40 below zeroâ€ degree weather. Maybe the dragging death of Brandon McClelland by two white males is no big deal to law enforcement in Lamar County when compared to its lynch-filled history. Ten thousand people showed up to witness the 1893 public lynching of Henry Smith in Paris.

What does a racist have to do toâ€œget a hate-crime in Paris?â€ Hang someone, perhaps?

For these reasons, and a plethora of others, myself along with the New Black Panther Party, the NAACP and other organizations are calling for the following:

(1). A federal investigation into the dragging death of Brandon McClelland

(2). A change of venue for any subsequent trials. Though Young has indicated that he may recuse himself from the case, his influence in the Lamar County D.A.â€™s office is still a factor that could ill-affect the case.

(6). Officially declare Brandonâ€™s death a hate crime and send a message to others who would commit such a crime against another human being, regardless of creed or color.

We, along with community members of Paris, Texas will hold a 4pm protest at the Lamar County Courthouse and a 6pm townhall meeting at Kingdom Harvest Full Gospel Church on November 17th.

It would be wise for the authorities in Paris to discontinue any effort to cover-up what happened on that fatal day that has now been called to international attention. The more they try this cover-up, the more will become uncovered concerning the bestial history of lynching in Paris, Texas.

We shall know the truth; and the truth shall bring us justice.

(Deric Muhammad is apart of the Millions More Movement Ministry of Justice and can be reached at: askbroderic.blogspot.com)

FRIENDS DONâ€™T â€œLYNCHâ€ FRIENDS: Dragging Death in Paris, Texas a HATE CRIME was last modified: June 23rd, 2015 by BJ Blog Staff

(FinalCall.com News)–When the news of his third stay of execution came down the news wire, Georgia death row inmate Troy Davis immediately called his eldest sister Martina Correia to share his thoughts about the spiritual significance of why his life is being spared while others want to take it away.

â€œTroy told me on the phone that he believes God keeps showing him mercy because he is not the one that committed this crime,â€ said Ms. Correia to The Final Call. â€œWe are elated about this stay of execution but he knows that he is not completely out of the woods. The prison officials have tried to break his spirit but they canâ€™t. He said thatâ€™s why they are upset.â€

On Oct. 24, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals issued a 25-day stay of execution for Mr. Davis who had been scheduled to die on Oct. 27. Earlier in the month, the Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Mr. Davis. He was scheduled to be put to death in September before a stay was issued just two hours before the time of execution.

Mr. Davis, a Black man, was convicted in 1991 of the murder of White Savannah police Officer Mark MacPhail three years earlier. He has always maintained his innocence and his case has drawn worldwide attention and support.

â€œMy brother told me on the phone that he is grateful for all of the support he has received and the works of so many people around the world,â€ said Ms. Correia to The Final Call. â€œHe understands that his life is being dangled in front of him but he wonâ€™t let his faith be shaken.â€

Witnesses claimed Mr. Davis, who was then 19 years of age, and two others were harassing a homeless man in the parking lot of a Burger King restaurant when the off-duty officer arrived to help the man. Witnesses also testified at trial thatMr. Davisthen shot Mr. MacPhail twice and fled the scene.

Since Mr. Davisâ€™ 1991 conviction, seven of the nine witnesses against him have recanted their testimony and no physical evidence has been presented that links Mr. Davis to the killing.

â€œThis case can be pivotal. They understand that as long as Troy is alive, it increases the opportunity for their corruptness to be exposed,â€ said Ms. Correia. â€œIf Troy is freed it could shut down the death penalty system in Georgia and expose these rogue cops who get people to make false testimonies against others to secure convictions.â€

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1 week agoYesterday afternoon, I had the honor of being the guest speaker at the 2nd official meeting of the newly-formed revolutionary African-American Culture Club ( @aacckf ) on the campus of Klein Forest High School. In my short presentation, we touched on True #BlackHistory , Finding Purpose, Being A Difference Maker, The 5 P’s Of Organizing, and Why Their Generation is The Answer to The Prayers of Our Ancestors. This was followed by my favorite part: Q/A and plans for follow-up action! This growing group inspired me more than they know. Thank you to all of the club officers (Medina, Jessica, Deaven, Kharee) and

7 days agoLINK IN BIO‼️Show your love for a man who has dedicated 64 Years of his life to serving our people and humanity! ⠀ ⠀ Please join the members of the Nation of Islam and our supporters in showing appreciation for the unwavering dedication of the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan by Donating to the Annual Saviours’ Day Gift. ⠀ ⠀ Click the link in my bio!! Thank you in advance!! ⠀ ⠀ #Farrakhan#NationOfIslam#SavioursDayGift#ThankYou#Love

7 days agoWe’re 30 days away from Saviours’ Day weekend in Chicago. The Honorable Minister @LouisFarrakhan is scheduled to deliver the Saviours’ Day address on Sunday, February 17th at the @unitedcenter in Chicago. For tickets visit: NOI.org. #SD19CHI#Farrakhan

4 days ago#FreeMarziehHashemi#Repost@presstvchannel ・・・ Marzieh Hashemi, a journalist and anchor working for Iran’s English-language Press TV television news network, has been detained and imprisoned in the United States for unspecified reasons. American-born Hashemi, most famous for anchoring news programs and presenting shows for Press TV, was detained upon arrival at St. Louis Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri, on Sunday, her family and friends said. Press TV has learned that she was transferred by the FBI to a detention facility in Washington, D.C. The US officials have so far refused to provide any reasons for her apprehension either to

22 hours agoSAVIOURS’ DAY GIFT‼️ Please join the members of the Nation of Islam and our supporters in showing appreciation for the unwavering dedication of the Honorable Minister @LouisFarrakhan by donating to the Annual Saviours’ Day Gift. ⠀ ⠀ Click the link in my bio! Thank you in advance! ⠀ #Farrakhan#NationOfIslam#SavioursDayGift#ThankYou#Love